The present invention relates to an improvement in the methods used to attach fence wires to the post that are used to suspend them in the desired locations. More specifically, to a fence clip device that securely attaches fence wire to the fence post while allowing it to freely move in a lateral manner. This freedom of lateral movement provides a mechanism which allows the fence to compensate for external forces that distort the fence wire by allowing the individual fence wire to laterally change their position relative to their point of attachment to the individual fence posts. Additionally, the use of the pull through fence clip also allows large sections of fence wire to be tightened without having to disconnect each wire from its point of attachment to each fence post.
The Prior Art illustrates a number of examples of fence wire attachment devices which are intended to secure a section of fence wire to a fence post while allowing it to move in a lateral manner. However, each of these devices contain flaws that limit their effectiveness in their designed function. The first of these is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,549 issued to Foy which describes a pull through fence wire clip that employs two C-shaped wire extensions that engage and wrap around a fence post to secure the clip to the fence post. This method of attachment is laborious and often results in attachments that are less than secure because it is not specifically design to be used on the variety of fence posts in common use today. Additionally, the design of this fence wire clip allows the fence wire to come into contact with the relatively large face of the fence post which can result a large amount of drag being created over the length of the wire and also increases the potential for snags developing at this point of contact.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,142 issued to Gerhart, a fence wire clip is illustrated that employs a cylindrical tube to secure a strand of wire to a fence post. This device also employs a similarly awkward method of attaching it to a fence post which provides a less than secure method of fixing the clip to the post. Additionally, the use of the tube to secure the fence wire in the desired location subjects the wire to the difficulties of drag and the potential for snags as described above. These design problems limit the effectiveness of the pull through fence clip by restricting the lateral movement of the fence wire at its point of attachment to the fence post.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,932 issued to Baker, a pull through fence clip is illustrated which is designed to attach fence wire to both metallic or wooden fence posts. The difficulty with this design is that the area the fence wire pulls through the clip is very small which again limits the lateral movement of the fence wire contained within it. Additionally, this fence clip is designed in such a manner that it requires the user bend relatively large metallic tabs around the fence post when attaching it to metal fence posts. This design feature makes the attachment of the clip to the fence post a difficult process which can in turn lead to problems in its performance over the life of the fence.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,788 issued to Chave, a pull through fence clip is illustrated that employs a circular retainer that is attached to a fence post by the use of two long members that wrap around the rear of a fence post. This method of clip attachment again creates difficulties as it is not specifically designed to be used in conjunction with the variety of fence posts commonly in use today resulting in a less than secure fixing of the clip on the fence post.
From the foregoing discussion it can be seen that it would be desirable to provide a method of securing fence wire to fence posts allowing for the free lateral movement of the fence wire relative to the fence post. This lateral movement allows the fence to compensate for external forces placed on the fence, such as snow loads and contact with animals and farm implements, without requiring any direct action by the fence owner. Additionally, it can be seen that it would be desirable to provide such a method of attaching fencing wire to fence posts which employs commonly used clip attachment methods that are designed specifically for the different types of fence posts commonly in use today. This flexibility in the means used to attach the clip to the fence posts ensures that such attachments are secure and will enhance the performance of the fence over the course of its life.
It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a method by which a fence wire, either barbed or otherwise, can be attached securely to the metallic type of fence post most commonly found in agricultural fencing today and which can be installed easily on existing fences without modifications to either the posts or fencing.
It is an additional objective of the present invention to provide such a method of attaching wire to a fence post in a manner that will allow a farmer or rancher to tighten a fence wire along a considerable length of fencing without having to free each wire from its attachment to each individual fence post in the desired length of fence.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide such a method of attaching wire to a fence post in a manner that will provide a mechanism by which a length of fencing can absorb relatively large external forces, such as those created through contact with large grazing animals, farm implements, and snow banks, without placing undue forces on either the wire or the fence posts which can result in the breaking or distortion of the fence itself.
It is a still further objective of the present invention to employ such a method of attaching wire to a fence post in a manner that can be easily accomplished in an inexpensive fashion and which will be durable enough to last for the foreseeable life of the fence.
These objectives are accomplished by the use of a pull through fence clip that is made of a single length of metallic rod or other suitable material that is bent or shaped to form a device having an axis composed of two pins located at either end and a centrally located body. The pull through fence clip is then attached to a fence post by use of a commonly available post staple clip. The post staple clip is generally made up of a relatively short piece of wire that is bent around the back of the fence post with two hooks on its ends that extend slightly beyond the forward surface of the fence post.
In the case of the present invention, the hooks of the post staple clip are used to engage and hold the pins of the invention which in turn positions its central body in the proper location to engage and hold the desired section of fence wire. The central body essentially forms a two dimensional box that, while enclosing the central area, also leaves an opening through which a section of fence wire can be pulled through to gain access to the internal area of the body. This provides a mechanism by which a user can place a section of wire within the body of the invention which in turn will hold that wire in the desired location with reference to a specific fence post and a specific section of fencing.
The use of the two dimensional box formed by the invention""s body to position the fence wire is pivotal to the operation of the present invention. This is due to the fact that the body simply provides a confined area in which the fence wire rests on its lower member which restricts its movement in all axises except longitudinally along the line defined by the fence itself. That is to say, the use of the present invention securely attaches a section of fencing wire to a fence post while allowing the individual fence wire to freely move along the line described by its longitudinal axis. The importance of this design feature of the present invention is that it allows the fence to flex and compensate for changing conditions without impacting the general integrity of the fence as a whole.
Wire fences are always subject to a variety of stresses that can have a negative impact on both their structural integrity and aesthetic qualities. These factors generally include such things as large animals leaning against or walking into the fence wire, farm implements such as tractors being inadvertently driven into the fence wire, subtle changes in the land due to weather and geologic activity, and snow drifts accumulating on the central areas of the fence wire span. The use of the present invention can alleviate some or all of the consequences of these forces by allowing the individual sections of the fence wire to pull freely through the body allowing the forces being generated in these circumstances to be distributed over a large section of fencing instead of being focused on the specific section of fence upon which the forces are acting. Therefore, the fence is much more likely to be able to flex and adapt instead of deforming or breaking at the point of localized stress.
Additionally, the design of the present invention also provides the benefit of allowing the individual fence wires to be tightened over large sections of fencing without the need to disconnect each wire from its individual attachment to every post over that section of fencing. Over the life of any wire fence there are forces which act upon it that tend to change the relationship between the wire and the fence post. The use of the present invention as a method of securing fencing wire to fence posts allows adjustments to be made to the fence in a much more efficient manner than was previously available as it allows a relatively large section of wire to be manipulated without having to disconnect it from the posts.
For a better understanding of the present invention reference should be made to the drawings and the description in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the present invention.